Reflections on Sri Sri Ramakrishna
by Mohendra Nath Dutta
The author of this book is the youngest brother of Swami Vivekananda. Vivekananda, then Naren, took him to meet Sri Ramakrishna a number of times, so the book is full of accounts of
what he saw and experienced. He called Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Mosai. As time passed, Mohendra met many of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, and even later accompanied Vivekananda to London.
The author includes his memories of not just Sri Ramakrishna, but his brother Swami Vivekananda. At our website you can read
a few of Mohendra's memories of Sri Ramakrishna, but for this write-up, we will mention his memory of Swami Vivekananda in London, giving a talk on Raja yoga. There were around 150-200 people present, all distinguished ladies and gentlemen.
The lecture was in English and everybody was listening with rapt attention. Swamiji was speaking in a normal tone and his facial expression was also normal. Suddenly his face changed and it became calm and awesome to look at. He raised his hands as if to bless everyone.
Suddenly, a new person seemed to emerge from his body. .. he began saying a benediction in Sanskrit. He uttered one word at a time, then stopped for awhile, looked upwards with his eyes wide open as if seeing something, his mind deeply engrossed, and then he began speaking again. It took a long time to
complete the benediction in this manner.....He turned into a totally new personality, as if he was the most exalted person in the world. He even appeared to be the central energy of the entire creation. It was as if the life had arisen from the formless center of rhythmical vibrations. He was devoid of bodily feelings or a sense of separateness. He transcended the influence of space, time, and causation.
The benediction was in Sanskrit, hence nobody understood its meaning, but as soon as Swamiji began uttering it, everybody was immediately overwhelmed, and, pushing back the chairs, they sat on their knees with bent heads and folded hands to
receive the blessing. Everyone was absolutely silent, as if none else than Swamiji was present. Each word, each syllable, each pause, and each meter of the verse was clearly expressed. The energy, the feeling, the rhythmical vibration seemed to undulate in the air of the room.
It was such a strange phenomena and belonged to such a high state that words fail to express it. It was energy in a concrete, living form. Nobody knew the meaning of what was being said, but so powerful was the feeling that it seemed to direct the hearers that this was not time to be seated on high chairs, that they must bend their ears and submit to the benediction. ... Swamiji was
not what he was any more. He became a different person, with a different look and voice.
Afterwords, when his mind descended to the normal state, he began
explaining the meaning of the benediction.
120 pages, small Indian paperback $5.95
